Tuesday, August 2, 2011

An English gal's Strawberry Shortcake...

Strawberry shortcake is a big hit in my house... that would be the toy... I think it's a spin-off of a cartoon (aren't all toys these days??)... or, is this one of those toys that became so popular, it made it onto the screen?? Anyhoo, my girls love it, so we have, oohh at last count, at least eight of these lying around this little place. Usually strategically placed, so that I'll stand on them bare-footed and maximum damage is done to my poor dainty feet (perhaps these could be used in warfare??)...



Oh, and did I tell you (for anyone not lucky enough to have any of these beauties in the house), they smell delicious?  Apparently of strawberries...  you know, that kind of strawberry that candy tastes of... the bright red candy that can only come from a zillion E numbers and that is likely to give your kids the ability to climb walls.
Anyways, as I brushed the sleep from my eyes on Sunday morning, I was greeted with my eldest wielding said doll about an inch from my nose, declaring 'Mummy, want to play Strawberry Shortcake? You can be Plum'... my insides shrivelled... another day lost to the joys of Strawberry Shortcake...



Then, I had an even better idea (escape plan)... why not make a Strawberry Shortcake???... as in the dessert (not the doll). The fridge is brimming with strawberries at the moment... I'm a sucker for the BOGOF deals (buy-one-get-one-free), so this gave me the perfect opportunity to use some up and, thus, get the hubby off my back about wasting money and free some much needed space in the fridge.... The cherry on top, though, was that my daughter was super-excited about the prospect of actually eating strawberry shortcake... I then explained that we wouldn't be putting the actual Strawberry Shortcake doll in the cake... it did take a bit of the shine off the idea for her, but the deal was done!


Now, to me, when all's said and done, a Strawberry Shortcake looks a lot like a Victoria Sponge (well mine did, as I only had two of the required three cake tins)... but let's not argue about semantics... I'm in America now, so I'll call it a strawberry shortcake. So, I set about whipping this up... a lot of sugar.... oodles of cream...  fresh strawberries... how bad can this be??? The end result was a ruddy big cake!! It definitely put the weeny Victoria Sponge cake in its shadow... this monster was H-U-G-E!! I hope the kids like eating cake... all summer long... Which leads me to ponder, if Strawberry Shortcake were actually modelled on this sugary dessert, shouldn't she have the proportions of the Jolly Green Giant!!!
So, if you have the local neighbourhood coming over for a sweet bite, you should give this a bash!
Take care all!
Lx

 Strawberry Shortcake Recipe


1 1/2 cups of self-raising flour
1 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
2 cups of sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter (softened)
4 large eggs
1 cup of milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the filling
Strawberry jam 
2 cups of whipping cream
1/4 cup of vanilla sugar
4 cups of ripe strawberries, stem removed and quartered
2 tablespoons of sugar

Method
Preheat the oven to 350F
Grease and lightly flour 2 x 9 inch cake tins and line the bottom with grease-proof paper. (To make an authentic strawberry shortcake use 3 x cake tins)
In a small bowl combine the flours.
In a large bowl cream the butter until smooth, using an electric mixer on a medium speed.
Slowly add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. 
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add the flours, alternating with the milk and the vanilla essence. Make sure they are all mixed together, but don't over beat... Just to make sure it's all mixed together, scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula and give it one last stir!
Divide the cake batter between the cake tins and pop in the oven for approximately 30 mins or until a cake tester comes out clean, when inserted into the middle.
Leave the cakes to cool in the tin for an hour and then remove, and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
Toss the strawberries in the 2 tablespoons of sugar and set aside.
Whip the cream up with sugar, using an electric whisk on a medium speed. When the cream mixture forms stiff peaks, stir in the prepared strawberries.
Take one of the cooled cakes and spread with strawberry jam, then spread the cream and strawberry mixture on top of the jam. 
Top with the second cake... it's looking pretty big now, eh?
Lightly dust the top of the cake with confectioners sugar...
Bobs-your-uncle... a ruddy big cake!

18 comments:

  1. Delicious!! What beautiful photos you have taken too, I especially love the one with the envelope mug in the background. I made a 'ginger fluff sponge' this week as I have one of my Cooking Club get togethers this weekend and wanted to do a trial run first. Your sponge looks so high and fluffy and the perfect accompaniment to a cuppa. As for Strawberry Shortcake the character, I used to love her as a little girl and was so happy to see she had made a come back - I will have to introduce Grace to her :) Enjoy your day x

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  2. This looks delicious. Victoria sponge always reminds me of a favorite scene from the movie, "Calendar Girls".

    The Strawberry Shortcake doll stage is fun.

    Fondly,
    Glenda

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  3. so funny :)... when my kids were little it was 'The Tweenies' and 'Teletubbies' I could go on Mastermine and have these as my specialist subject I watched so many of these programmes with them :)

    your Strawberry shortcake looks wonderful! x

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  4. hi sweet- that is a seriously giant cake girl!!!

    bet your girls loved it!
    we haven't done the strawberry shortcake craze thing- i've no idea why?
    audrey tends to be soft toy hugger -always and they are all named and all taken on adventures each day...

    the only figurine/doll things she plays with- and these she is obsessed with are *littlest pet shops* - they too bruise your feet like i can't tell you!!

    save me some cake...melissa xxx

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  5. I had a Strawberry Shortcake toy about 25 years ago and as far as I can remember there was no cartoon. I can still remember the smell! This cake looks delicious. Strawberries are my all time favourite things ever - I could eat them for every meal every day.

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  6. Hi that cake looks so good I bet it tasted yummy, the photos are great.

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  7. What a monster of a cake - and I mean that in a good way! The bigger the better where cakes are concerned.

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  8. That looks yummy! Thanks for sharing the recipe and also adding your link to Beach Cottage good Life Wednesdays

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  9. Well what an enormous cake!! it looks delicious, now what is a stick of butter??? I have got the cup measurements which I bought once when I was in America, but I don't know how much a stick of butter is. Have a lovely week, guess what after a beautiful few days of warm sunshine it is raining here in Blighty!!
    Typical English weather.
    Jillxx

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  10. I love strawberry shortcake. I haven't baked one for a while, though... But your pictures made me feel like baking one right now!

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  11. Oh I'd lovey sink my teeth into a piece of your cake! The strawberries look amazing! We have stawberry shortcake dolls too in our home...they are well loved,
    xo,
    Lulu

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  12. I am your newest follower. Stop by sometime.

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  13. Hi Laura.

    Many thanks for your lovely comment on my blog.

    I must admit, it did take a while for crochet to 'click' with me. I have a friend who is trying to learn - she got into a terrible ratty pickle and got the hook stuck in her hair!?!

    I love your blog. I've just been having a read and have got as far as your shaven spaniel ... as a spaniel owner, I would love to see!! :-)

    Heather x

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  14. Deliciously yummy, thank you for the wonderful recipe, your photos are beautiful!
    Wendy

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  15. A ruddy big cake it may be,but it looks delicious!
    Karen ~ a fellow Brit and Tea Lover!

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  16. This sounds incredible. I love desserts like this. That is such a cute mug too.

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  17. What do you have to be plum? Why can't you be strawberry? The smell alone most drive you nuts. I can't even imagine how good this cake tastes.

    -Zane of ontario honey

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